Republic contractor warns of soil shortfall, possible delays to Loudon County landfill capping

At a regular meeting of the Loudon County Solid Waste Commission, the county's landfill contractor (identified in the record as Republic Sandec) told commissioners the site faces a significant shortfall of cover soil that could affect the planned capping event.

The contractor's presenter (Republic Sandec) told the commission the site has exposed slopes that need about 2.5 feet of intermediate cover and estimated the project requires roughly 60,000 cubic yards of soil. "We have everything at interim grade," the presenter said, "but the capping event—the soil constraints—are really kinda roaring its ugly head right now." The presenter added the operator is currently buying about 400 tons of soil per week to support interim cover while working through the longer-term plan.

The shortfall is driving several interlocking issues: Module 3 construction and the larger 2027 capping project are contingent on sufficient soil and seasonal timing, and an existing leachate tank is inaccessible to tanker traffic, prompting plans to relocate tanks to containment near the maintenance shop. The presenter said the operator is considering asking TDEC for up to 180 extra days beyond the normal calendar-year requirement to demonstrate a viable plan if construction timing or soil availability prevents on-schedule completion.

Commissioners were shown a schedule for Module 3 and were told design work will be available for the October commission meeting with the intention to issue the work for bid thereafter. The presenter described other 2027 projects tied to the same funding package: relocating and building a new scale house, installing wheel washes and paving roughly 1,900–2,000 linear feet of road.

On compliance and oversight, the presenter said a regulator (referred to in the meeting as Lou) returned to the site after an annual engineering review and identified two Areas of Concern for exposed waste and final-cover failures; the regulator has given the operator 30 days to clear those items and requested a direct plan to address permit obligations. The presenter said groundwater sampling results had arrived that morning and a draft report would be circulated to commissioners three weeks before the regulatory submittal deadline.

Why it matters: the soil shortfall and access constraints affect both environmental controls (cover and leachate management) and the timeline for significant construction. Commissioners can expect more detailed engineering deliverables and a formal submittal to TDEC that could include a request for additional time.

The commission did not vote on any permit actions during the meeting. The presenter offered to circulate the final draft hydrogeologic plan and other submittals for commissioner review and to coordinate whether materials are submitted on behalf of the commission or by staff. The meeting record shows the operator will continue hauling interim cover and provide revised schedules and bid documents leading up to the October meeting.